Scammers know the best time to text you

If your phone seems to light up with suspicious texts right when your day gets busy, you may not be imagining it.New research from cybersecurity company Malwarebytes suggests scammers have gotten much more strategic about when they contact you and where they do it.The company analyzed global threat data collected between April 15 and July 14, 2026.

Researchers tracked more than 20 scam categories.They found that criminals often choose the platform that gives a particular scam the best chance of working.Then there is the timing.

For Americans, scam text volume peaked around 12 p.m.ET.

That was about 874% higher than at 1 a.m.ET, the quietest hour Malwarebytes observed.

Scam text volume also climbed as the week went on.It reached its highest point on Friday, when people received roughly 50% more fraudulent texts than at the beginning of the week.That tells me scammers are paying attention to more than what they send you.

They are also watching when you may be most likely to see it.And the timing is only part of the strategy, because the type of scam often determines exactly where they try to reach you.THE SCAM TEXT TEST: SPOT DANGER BEFORE YOU TAPScam texts can catch you while you are busy, distracted and more likely to react before checking the message.

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Romance scams favor social media, where conversations with new peo...